Utah Jazz: Georges Niang deserves spot in the rotation

Utah Jazz forward Georges Niang has proven his worth in preseason and beyond, and he deserves a chance to be in the rotation because of it.

If there’s one sure thing that can be deduced from preseason basketball, it’s this – Everything, absolutely everything, should be taken with a grain of salt. There’s a player averaging 30 points per game? Easy now, that doesn’t mean he’s in line to be the next scoring champ. Oh, you mean the Golden State Warriors lost to the Phoenix Suns? I don’t think anyone foresees a swap in the standings coming any time soon. So the Utah Jazz are 4-0? Don’t expect a perfect regular season.

You catch my drift? Preseason is exciting as it gives a chance to see players back in action for the first time, and it can be revealing to some extent, but overall it’s no indicator of how well or how poorly any individual player or team is going to perform. The sample size is too small, the competition too lackluster and the playing time too inconsistent.

Nevertheless, there are a few things that can stand out in preseason, such as players who are showing improvements or teams that may or may not be jiving, for example. And when those things are combined with statistics and information from prior seasons and situations where there actually was something at stake, it can help paint a clearer picture.

So what am I getting at with all this? Let me tell you. I’m here to say quite plainly that Utah Jazz forward Georges Niang deserves a spot in the rotation. Yes, part of why I say that is because he has undoubtedly looked incredible in preseason. But, keeping in alignment with my previous preseason disclaimers, I’d like to make it clear that Niang has been impressive well before that.

But let’s start with a dissection of preseason, shall we? Up to this point, Niang is averaging 8.5 points per game for the Jazz in their first four preseason games. That may not sound like a lot, but consider the following. He’s played just 11.9 minutes per game, bringing his per-36 points number to 25.7.

Not to mention, his 8.5 points per game is seventh best on the team, ahead of the likes of Derrick Favors, Jae Crowder, Dante Exum, Royce O’Neale and Thabo Sefolosha, all of whom have logged more minutes per game. And that per-36 figure I mentioned? It’s the best on the team among players who have logged at least six total minutes combined in the four preseason games.

So, yeah, his scoring has been impressive. But it’s not just the quantity, it’s the quality. Niang is shooting an electric 68.4 percent from the field. The only players with a better field goal percentage that have played meaningful minutes are Rudy Gobert and Ekpe Udoh, who obviously are maintaining those high marks by only shooting close to the rim. Meanwhile, Niang is putting up nearly three 3-point attempts per game.

But he’s splashing those as well. Niang has converted on a whopping 54.5 percent from deep. To top it all off, Niang is dishing out 1.5 assists per game, which may not sound like much, but the fact that he’s second on the team among players with meaningful minutes in turnover percentage just goes to show how well he’s passing the ball. Furthermore, he’s in the top-five on the team in net rating at an astounding 34.5.

Of course, hearing these numbers, you might think that Georges Niang is destined to be an All-Star. Let’s be clear, that’s not anywhere close to the case. Remember, these are preseason marks after all. However, I do think he’s made his case as a rotation player, and that foundation dates back well before preseason.

Last season in the G-League, Niang was just as prolific as a shooter as he’s shown thus far. He shot 45.7 percent from three overall, which included a 52.7 percent mark in 15 games played with the Salt Lake City Stars. Niang also proved what a multi-dimensional player he is by filling the stat sheet with both assists and rebounds.

In Summer League, he was a step ahead of most other players and had the numbers to prove it. He was among the leading scorers in Utah Summer League, and maintained a high shooting percentage throughout play in both Salt Lake City and Las Vegas.

Not to mention, Niang is simply a high-IQ player. What he lacks in athleticism, he makes up for in decision-making and craftiness. He’s a master at playing to his strengths and filling his role exceptionally well. Considering Utah’s often complex and strategic game plan on both ends of the floor, these are highly valuable traits.

Factor all these characteristics together, and I believe it becomes quite clear that Niang deserves a shot in the rotation during the regular season to showcase what he can do. Utah has long been in search of a stretch-four threat, and Niang can be just that. He has a beautiful shooter’s touch, but also the ability to put it on the floor and create as well. His dual threat abilities would make him a nice commodity off the bench for the Jazz.

Consider also how much more efficient he’s looked than Utah’s other two stretch-four options thus far in preseason. Again, I know it’s just preseason, but bear with me. In over eight minutes per game less than Crowder, he’s scoring nearly a point more per game, and their efficiency isn’t anywhere close as sometimes Jae’s poor shot selection is damaging to the Jazz.

In nearly three less minutes than Sefolosha, Niang is putting up almost six more points per game. Yes, there’s more to the game than scoring, but Niang is simply excelling there and in other areas.

Of course, Niang’s defense, particularly in comparison to those two stretch-four options I just mentioned, Jae Crowder and Thabo Sefolosha, isn’t quite up to snuff. That could very well be what hurts his chances the most. However, as I alluded to earlier, he’s craftier than he gets credited for and is a disciplined and skilled defender in his own right.

Plus besides, he’s a team defender that can lean on basketball awareness and the strength of his team to help cover up some of his deficiencies. Combine that with the fact that he’s arguably one of Utah’s strongest shooters, and certainly one of the strongest among power forwards, and his case for being in the rotation is crystal clear.

Particularly in Utah’s first five games in which Thabo Sefolosha will be suspended for violating the NBA’s drug policy last season, I would hope that we’ll see Niang receive a chance to get some run. Then, especially if he does well in those first preliminary opportunities, I’d love to see him continue to be a mainstay in Utah’s rotation from that point forward.

Now some may say that Niang’s stellar performance has come largely as a result of facing lackluster competition. While there may be some merit to this, considering how incredible his shooting percentages have been, I wouldn’t care if he were in an empty gym. His efficiency can’t be ignored, and for a Jazz offense that at times goes stagnant, he could be just the jolt of scoring electricity that they need.

Between last year’s electrifying G-League play, an incredible Summer League and now a breath-taking preseason, Georges Niang has proven his worth and his work ethic. He has the drive, basketball IQ and shooter’s touch that make him an absolute asset for this Jazz squad.

It’s time he was given the chance to show just what he can do in the Utah Jazz rotation.